Patron Saint, formally, the numbers.

Today, it was not about the numbers.

Even though my weight is dropping like a rock, which is awesome, i woke up with my legs feeling quite heavy.

I wanted to sleep a few more hours, but i read the wind readings for the day, and  it said the morning would be the least wind.  So, i dragged myself out of bed to eat early and get going. Early meaning, 9 am on a sunday.

I would like to also pat myself on the back for baking my first mushroom frittata.  I found the recipe in bicyclingmagazine.com. It's very good, and i can munch on that for a few days. I got really tired of boiled and scrambled eggs. Even the Flynnbot likes it! (well, he likes just about everything but the fact that he's male and eats my cooking, says alot about him, aside that he's practically held captive in my house..shut up)

I got out on the lake and decided, this isnt about the numbers today. IT's very, very windy, even though i thought i was getting out before the wind.  It's also very cloudy, which makes me sort of depressed when cycling. I like the sun. And it was also a bit chilly.

From the  minute i left my house, the wind started knocking me around.  My legs are fatigued and tired.  They started to lighten up but suddenly i heard this TICK TICK TICK sound.  I pulled over. I checked my tires. I started again..tick tick tick tick tick...are you annoyed yet? Because I sure was. I stopped to check my tires. Nothing. Arg this is so aggravating. By this time i'd gotten really warm in my jacket, and stopped to pull off my sleeves.  The ticking stopped.  I'm not sure if that's a good thing or bad thing, but i'm beg to wonder if my front tire has gone out of true a little. When i hit the brake, i also get a funky sound. U know, the sound you have on your car when your tires are worn oddly.

More wind.  I swear it's like a tornado out there, whipping around the lake. Fierce. THat's the only word for it.  Fierce.

But it's the little things, like learning when to push back on my seat for a climb.  I chicked two guys who'd passed me earlier.  Men usually pass me on the way down and lose me. But today, i put a lot of space btwn our bikes. Of course, they could have just turned off to go home LOL.

by this point, i'm pushing it pretty hard. THe wind is just brutal, and im blown all over the place.  My hr is off the chart, not good and im slowing down to as slow as i can go to get my HR down. The wind is literally holding me place.

On the east side of the lake, there is a hill i call "The Asphalt Hill". It's not that high, but it's rough. It's full of divots and potholes and at the top is a barricade.  It tends to bottleneck there.  At this point, you can continue down the hill on E. Lawther, or you can turn left and head up Northcliff Drive.  This is a good stretch of a hill with a nice steady incline.  When your tired, it hurts, esp just climbing up the Asphalt Hell and then turning on this.     I actually made better time today, but i was hurting.

It winds around a bit to what i call "DeadMan's Curve'. You can probably guess why. It's really nice curve but you can't see around it, and the cars can't see you. i usually fly around this curve bec at the bottom of that hill, is a dip that i race down and always yell WEEEE. yes, I'm 9 years old. This dip is why ride!

Today, i came around the curve and something told me to chill out.  Sure enough, a big suv comes swinging around it. A family of four, all with drinks in their hands, esp the driver. Who's not particularly paying attention to the me.  But i saw him.  He was on my side of the road. There is no shoulder it is a hard drop right into a field.  At the very last minute, i see the horror is his face as he swerves back to his side of the road.  I almost bit it.  I wanted to fly him my best bird, but i was just trying not to fly into the field.  My dips were on me fast and this time,  I didn't yell weee.

Suddenly,  a thought popped into my head. My uncle Frank, my dad's brother and my favorite uncle. He passed away several years ago. I was pretty close to him, and even though i was in florida at the time when he died,  i was not allowed to attend the funeral. (sometime's family is kind of weird that way).

He popped into my head.  My patron Saint Francis and when i realized how close i came to being a hood ornament, i burst into tears. God, how stupid. I couldnt stop crying. Yes, i went weeee weee wee all the way home.

I'm not usually emotional about stuff like that. Usually i get pissed off and would chase after the car and lecture the guy on paying attention to driving around the lake, like i'm channeling armstrong or sth.  But today, i was just plain emotional.

The great thing about cycling, is that if you are crying on your bike, people just assume  you are in pain, which alot of riders always are! Lets face it, we go out in the worst weather, on a bike seat half the size of your ass and ride on 2.5cm wheels over crunchy rodes, dodging cars and drivers that want to see you off the roads.  So, I'm in pain, or there is something in my eye.  No one paid a bit of attention to me.  Sometimes, it's good to be off the radar.

By the time i made it home, i was over my emotional bent and hopped on my computer to write about it. Lance says that Texan's hate cyclists.   It's not like the roads here are so narrow that we can't share.  And if you live around the lake, which is built for joggers and bicycles, GO FREAKING SLOW!

Ok, so I only one lap today. I'm tired.  I'm sitting here at my desk typing, and im still feeling tired.

It's time to shower, laundry, and some editing.  thanks for reading.

Clear skies!